Alfred Jones has boosted its estate to 82 stores after scooping up fellow Spar member Jacques Loggins.
Alfred Jones, already Spar’s largest independent operator, is ranked 20 in The Grocer’s Top 50 private grocery chains.
The 13-store Loggins chain was ranked 29 in The Grocer Top 50 in 2002 with sales of £33m, but declined to take part in the ranking in 2003. Eleven of its stores are forecourts.
Last year’s sales have not been disclosed, but will provide a considerable boost to Alfred Jones’ turnover, which broke the £50m barrier in the year to May 4, 2003.
Based in Warrington, Alfred Jones has been steadily expanding its retail estate after selling its Spar wholesale business to James Hall in 1998.
Alfred Jones has struck partnerships with Shell and Texaco to build up its forecourt estate in recent years.
The chain also invested in a major refurbishment to upgrade the entire estate to stage one or above of Spar’s Millennium standard.
Its most recent acquisition was a group of six stores from A& S Stores, a chain formed by Andy Smallman and Steve McArdle last January following a management buyout of Cellar Five’s Right Choice c-store estate.
A& S was expected to become a prominent member of The Grocer Top 50 this year, but has now sold off the bulk of its 40-strong estate.
It plans to sell the remaining 12 stores by March.
Elaine Watson
Alfred Jones, already Spar’s largest independent operator, is ranked 20 in The Grocer’s Top 50 private grocery chains.
The 13-store Loggins chain was ranked 29 in The Grocer Top 50 in 2002 with sales of £33m, but declined to take part in the ranking in 2003. Eleven of its stores are forecourts.
Last year’s sales have not been disclosed, but will provide a considerable boost to Alfred Jones’ turnover, which broke the £50m barrier in the year to May 4, 2003.
Based in Warrington, Alfred Jones has been steadily expanding its retail estate after selling its Spar wholesale business to James Hall in 1998.
Alfred Jones has struck partnerships with Shell and Texaco to build up its forecourt estate in recent years.
The chain also invested in a major refurbishment to upgrade the entire estate to stage one or above of Spar’s Millennium standard.
Its most recent acquisition was a group of six stores from A& S Stores, a chain formed by Andy Smallman and Steve McArdle last January following a management buyout of Cellar Five’s Right Choice c-store estate.
A& S was expected to become a prominent member of The Grocer Top 50 this year, but has now sold off the bulk of its 40-strong estate.
It plans to sell the remaining 12 stores by March.
Elaine Watson
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